Gale and Katniss
by HungerGames121
Summary: What would happen between Katniss and Gale if Peeta died in the Hunger Games? This story starts off in the book Catching Fire and later moves to Mockingjay! Read more to find out! -HungerGames121
1. Chapter 1: I Admit, I Love You

When I wake up, it's because of a nightmare. The boy from district two, threw me in with the mutts, and they were mawling my face and eyes. I sit up in bed and see the door open a crack, and see my little sister Prim, standing in the doorway.

"Katniss, you were screaming again..." Says Prim quietly.

"I'm sorry Prim, didn't mean to wake you." I reply. I look down and see the bed in damp from my sweat. Prim walks over to me and puts her arms around my neck and sits on my lap. She just sits there and hugs me, not saying anything just wrapping me in her cool embrace.

I eventually drift off to sleep, with Prim in my arms because when I awake she is still there with me. Her eyes are closed and I look down on her. Her eyelids flutter open showing me her dark blue eyes, when I am hit with a sharp fierce pain in my chest. Those eyes, look like Peeta's.

I am in the arena, going to blow up the supplies with Rue, when I see him. Peeta makes a run towards the supplies to grab something. I stop my arrow and watch letting him pass so I don't kill him. But he doesn't realize it, and I don't either, that Cato is right behind him.

Cato's sword goes to Peeta's neck and I see the muscles in Cato's arm rip, and then I hear cannon. They boy who admitted his love for me, has just been killed, right in front of my helpless eyes. I shoot the arrow and it lands in the burlap sack and all of the apples come tumbling out, causing an explosion that throws me back into the trees.

"Katniss, Katniss! Stop screaming please! Stop!" I hear a voice say in my ear. I slowly open my eyes and unclench my fists. Only then do I realize I'm screaming and probably terrorizing Prim. I clench my teeth and stop screaming. Prim stops shaking me when my mother comes in an wraps me in her arms.

"Shhh… Shh… It's okay… Just a dream Katniss… It's just a dream…" She tries to soothe me and after thirty minutes, I finally open my eyes and see my mother looking down at me.

I lay in the wide bed in the fluffy comforter on top of me and Prim. Prim is staring at me and smiling and crawls over to my mother and I. They leave after an hour and I decide I need to go out meet Gale in the woods.

Ever since I won the games, I've been rethinking out relationship. I like him more than a friend, and I think I want him to know, but every time I'm about to tell him, I end up chickening out. Today I don't think I have any plans of telling him but, who knows. I just might.

Ever since I won the games, things have been different here in the District. The District has been getting more food, an so not as many people are starving and I'm glad for that. I get up and look around my room. With its white walls and dark wood floors. Across from me are a dresser and a desk with flowers. Then my bed is behind me and then behind that there is a small couch and a bookshelf.

I go to the dresser and take off my nightgown and throw on long brown pants and a dark red tunic and I put on my boots. I go into the bathroom and brush out my hair and brush my teeth. I walk downstairs and tell Prim where I am going. She hugs me and I walk out the door.

I walk through the coal dust covered streets and see late stragglers jogging to the mines. Eventually I come to my old house and I go under the fence to the meadow. I jog to the log and pull out my bow and take my arrows and I walk through the forest.

I walk through and come to a small lake when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I jump around and punch the thing and I hear a loud grunt and then I see Gale on the floor.

"Dammit Gale! Why'd you do that! Scared the life out of me!" I shout then look around to make sure no one heard.

"Wow, you can hit hard. I think your broke my nose," As he says that I see blood trickling down his face. I pull moss of a nearby log and pat down his nose until all of the blood is gone.

"Sorry, I picked up a few things while fighting to survive." I say sarcastically.

"Well, I'm surprised you didn't beat everyone up." He says. He stretches his back and sits down. I sit next to him and I feel his arm touching mine.

"Did you have any nightmares?" He asks seriously. I look at him and see some pain in his eyes. I know it's from watching me fight and almost die several times and I nod.

"Were they about…" He drifts off knowing that I won't answer.

"Well, come on. Let's go hunting!" He says.

We do go hunting, and we catch three rabbits and two squirrels. Not our usual haul, but still better than nothing. We go to our spot, which is a small nook in the rocks near a field of flowers. We talk about our game and about his family and mine.

He tells me he's going to go work in the mines, and this brings me to shudder. He looks at me questioningly as if to ask "What?"

"I just… Don't want to lose you Gale. You're my best friend." I say to him blushing slightly as I look down at the ground.

"You won't lose me. I swear Catnip," He says laughing. We sit in silence for a while staring at the flowers blooming. There are dandelions and pokeweeds, all blooming.

"So Posy is doing good. She still has a little fever and I took Rory hunting and he's a natural." He scoots closer to me and puts his arm on my shoulder. We used to do this all the time but to me, this feels much different.

He looks at me with his gray seam eyes and smiles. His head slightly moves to the side and it's like he's looking into my mind.

"I love you Gale," I say. I immediately put my hand over my mouth and I jump up and run into the woods.

"Katniss! Katniss wait up!" He calls. I sprint faster, my feet making loud crunching sounds on the pine needles and I stop when I think I've lost him. I pant for my breath and then when I turn towards the trees, Gale is right in front of me.

I start to move, but Gale puts his hands on my shoulders. He's panting slightly and I realize that I probably just ran about three miles.

"Katniss, Stop! You don't need to run." He says gripping my shoulders.

"Gale, please let go of me. Please just let go." I say struggling slightly.

"Katniss, please… It's okay because I love you too." He says. His hand cradles my face and he leans in and kisses me. I feel a stirring in my chest and my pulse seems to race. My hands find a way to his hips and he pulls back.

"Are you gonna stay now?" He asks. I can hear the smile in his voice and I look up to see his eyes alight. I nod and I realize that I probably have the biggest grin ever on my face.

"I've wanted to do that for a really long time now." He says. He pushes a lock of hair out my face and I feel like the sun is bursting.

"Gale, I don't want this to interfere with anythi-" He cuts me off with another kiss, not a long one, just a short one. When he pulls back, he lowers down to my eye level.

"This won't interfere with anything. I swear Catnip." I nod and he grabs my hand. "Now, let's go get our game bags." He says.

"Okay," I say. We go back and get our game bags and we walk back to the District. After we get back under the fence, I walk Gale to his house.

"Bye Gale." I say. I turn to leave and he grabs my arm and pulls me into an embrace. He just hugs me and says nothing and then kisses my nose.

"Bye Catnip." He says as he walks inside.


	2. Chapter 2: The Horrible Dream

**Katniss POV**

When I get home, my mother is out and Prim is out too. Their probably getting some medicine, because a lot more people are coming in with injuries and sickness. Maybe it's because the winter is approaching.

I walk through the front door and I sit on the couch. _What just happened? _I think as I stare at the floor. _Gale and I just kissed? _Will this make it weird between us? Well, it didn't seem like that after the kiss, but we kissed.

I think about the way he grabbed my face in his soft warm hands. I smile at the thought and get up to go the kitchen when I hear a knock at the door. I walk to the door and open it, seeing Haymitch, drunk as usual, standing there.

"Good morning sweetheart. I was wondering if you wanted to go the hob with me." He says, his voice slightly slurred.

"No, I already went into town," I say back to him. He nods and closes the door and I hear him stumble down the stairs. I go up to my room and take a shower to clear my head.

The warm water falls on my hair and it's so hot that it numbs the thoughts in my head. I get out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel. I close my eyes and when I open them, I'm not in the shower anymore. I'm in the arena under the burning sun.

I'm running towards the cornucopia, with someone on my tail. I see the backpack with just what I need inside. It has my medicine, I'm sick and I'm cold. I trip over an out-sticking root in the ground and stumble to the ground.

I feel a heavy weight on my back and I get flipped over. On top of me is Clove, with a devilish smile holding a long, thick dagger.

"So, District twelve; wouldn't have expected you to be here huh? Survival skills and all. I told Cato that if I caught you, I would kill you. He agreed as long as it was a messy death." She says with a wild laugh.

I struggle under her weight as I try to throw her off. Her hands dig into my wrists and I know it's the end.

"Where should I start? How about your lips? No, no wait. I know, let's get those eyes. The ones that see everything and more! Yeah, let's start with those eyes!" Her knife digs into my eyebrow and I see her hand start to go down my face until she is miraculously lifted off of me.

I hear a screech and kicking and thrashing. I open my eye and see Clove hanging above me. I hear gasping and then that's when I see Thresh. He bashes her skull and tells me something unintelligible and I get up, dig my feet into the dirt and run.

I blink and I am back in the bathroom, but I'm not alone. I look up and see Haymitch. I scream and look down and see I'm in a towel.

"Haymitch! GET OUT!" I screech. He just laughs and sits down on the small bench.

"Well, sweetheart, you were screaming you're head off. I thought you were getting mauled by a bear or something." He looks at me and in his eyes I can see that he understands what I'm going through. Of course he would. He's also a victor.

"Well, get out. I'm only in a towel, and speaking of which, how did I get into this?" I say wrapping the towel around me tighter.

"I came in and you were screaming, you were already wrapped in it." I remember wrapping myself into the towel now. Haymitch nods and leaves, and when he shuts the door I put on my old clothes because there not dirty.

I walk down the stairs and I see my mother and Prim walk through the door. They give me a hug and I see two people walk in behind them. They both look sick and so I bid them goodbye and decide to pay a visit to the bakery.

I walk down the street to the bakery, with the money in my pocket hitting my hip and when I get to the bakery I push open the door and see Peeta's father at the counter. Maybe I should leave but it's too late because I'm already inside.

"Hello Katniss." He says quietly. We've haven't talked about what happened but, I think he understands. Well, that's just my opinion anyways.

"Hey. Can I get two loaves of bread, please?" I ask him politely. He nods and tell me how much it costs. I give him the money, with a lot of extra coins and he pushes them back.

"Keep it." I say and before he can protest I'm already out the door hugging the warm bread. I walk to my home and give the loaves to my mother. She gives me soup and tells me to go to sleep when I finish. I'm about to protest, but then I look at the clock and see that it's nine o'clock already.

When I go to sleep, I don't have any dreams but I wake throughout the night. I finally fall into a deep sleep but this time I do have a dream, and it's about Gale.

**Gale POV**

I feel my shoulder shaking slightly. I blink groggily, my vision blurred from sleep. When my sight clears, I see it's Rory.

"What do you want? What time is it?" I ask my voice slurred from sleep. Rory stands over my very small bed. His face seems smug.

"It's eight. You were talking in your sleep!" He says walking over to his bed.

"About what?" I ask casually, but I actually really want to know.

"Nothing important, just stuff." He says smirking. He goes to his bed and pulls on his shoes and shakes his hair.

"Just tell me," I say quickly. I kind of have a feeling of what I might have been saying in my sleep.

"You were just saying 'Katniss… Katniss' all night. I was about to shove a pillow in your face." He says groaning. I laugh and give him a brotherly hug as he goes out to the kitchen. I change my shirt and throw on some pants and put on my shoes. I walk out into the kitchen and see my mother standing over the stove.

"Hey mom," I say and give her a hug. She hugs back and I can smell the greens cooking in the pot. I also see some fresh butchers meat on the table.

"Where'd you get the meat from?" I ask.

"Katniss brought some over this morning," She replies as she goes to start chopping the meat up. Katniss. Of course she brought food over. Katniss. I smile at the thought and I go sit at the small table. Posy is sitting and trying to tie her shoes and so I lean over and help her.

"Thanks Gawle." She says. She pets my head and walks to her room. When Posy's gone my mother clears her throat.

"You okay?" I ask, my mother has been showing signs of a cold lately. I need to hunt and trade for some medicine, even if she isn't sick I don't want to risk it.

"Yeah, just a tiny throat tickle." She says. She hands me a small bowl with food right as my siblings run out to her. I eat it quickly, not really tasting it, just gobbling it. I really want to see Katniss.

"Slow down, Gale. You're gonna die," Vick says, as he eats his food.

"Yeah, yeah, just eat!" I say as I stand to wash my dish. I dip the bowl in the water and clean it. When I finish I kiss my mom goodbye. I walk out of the front door and walk the opposite way of my usual travels.

I walk up the road and all of people wave at me. Mostly the girls, but I'm not thinking about them. I'm thinking about Katniss.

I've always had a crush on Katniss. Ever since the day I met her in the woods, looking at my snares. She doesn't realize it, but she was always the talk of the school, because of her beauty. But if I told her, she would just deny it.

I tread silently through the woods, going to check my snares. I need to get a good haul tonight. I need too. I'm almost at my snares, when I hear a small twig snap. I whirl around but no one is there. Then I look in front of me and see a girl.

I recognize her, but not right away. Long dark hair and olive skin. She turns around and I see her gray eyes. Katniss, the girl out here in the woods is Katniss!

Of course I've seen her at school, but I never knew that she would go out in the woods. She goes back to my snares and I speak.

"You know, stealing is punishable by death," I say to her. She spins around and I see her holding a bow and arrow. She lowers her bow and looks at me curiously. Confusion crosses her face and then her face goes back to a passive mask.

"I wasn't stealing. I was just looking," She replies coldly.

"What's your name?" I ask her. I already know it, but saying it like I've known her all of her lfe would be a little creepy.

"Catnip…" She says quietly. Catnip?

"Well, hello Catnip!" I say cheerfully.

"Katniss. My name is Katniss." She says louder. And after that, the rest is history.

I get to the fancy Victor home and bring my hand up to knock on the front door but it opens before my fist even hits the wood. The door flies open and it's Katniss's mom.

"Gale!" She huffs out as if she sprinted for the door. Her face looks red so this could be true. "I was just about to send Prim out to get you." She says hurriedly, practically shoving me in the door.

"What happened?" I ask worriedly.

"Katniss had a horrible… I don't know dream, flashback, but she woke up screaming thinking everyone was dead. She thinks you're dead and she won't stop screaming and crying. Go up their please and tell her you're okay." Her eyes are full of tears and I can tell this is really hurting her.

"Of course I will go up." I say. I hear a loud and blood curling scream and sobbing. I hear my name shouted and I run upstairs. I go to the room I hear all of the sobbing and screaming from and I run to and open the door.

It's locked and I turn the nob. I pound on the door and I hear Katniss scream louder. Imagine the worst pain you have ever felt and multiply it by a million. The pain of hearing Katniss scream and cry in this amount of pain, is a million times worse.

"KATNISS! OPEN THE DOOR! IT'S GALE!" I shout. Her sobbing still goes on and on. I bang the door with my fists and yell again.

"KATNISS! OPEN UP!" I hear the door unlock but it doesn't open. I slam the door open and I see Katniss on the floor in a ball. Her eyes are shut and her hands are in fists over her ears. I close the door and run over to her and get on the floor.

"Katniss… It's me Gale… I'm not dead, no one is. It's okay…" I say softly pushing back her hair. She opens her eyes and looks up at me. She launches herself into my arms.

"Gale… Gale…" She sobs and screams. I sit her in my lap, where she lays still curled into a ball. I hold her in my arms and rock her back and forth while she cries into my shirt.

"I thought you… Were…. Dead…" She keeps saying as she screams and sobs. I rock her back and forth as sobs and screams rack through her body.

After what seems like hours she's still crying. I want to know what her dream was to make her cry and scream like this. I rock her a little bit longer and she finally calms down some. She's still crying some, but she has stopped screaming.

She wraps her arms around my neck and whispers in my ear "I'm so sorry Gale. I didn't mean… To cry all over you…" She says. I pull her closer to me.

"It's okay, don't worry.. But what was your dream about?" I understand why she would be in fear like this, but what was so bad that made it well, this bad?

"It… Was the end of the games… I was coming home, and, and I saw Prim, Mom, and you. I saw everybody and… I was running towards you and then… The mutts, they come and attack you and…" She breaks off and starts to cry again.

"Shhh…. Katniss…. It's okay…" I say.

"That's not all. I mean… You all come back again, so that's how I know it was a dream… But then I'm in the arena again… I'm blowing up the food, and after I get thrown back… I see all of you dead… I killed you all…. Then I'm at the interviews and they ask how it felt to kill everyone you love." She says, barely holding back more tears.

"Then I'm back here and I'm up to now, and everyone keeps yelling at me and I keep reliving the dream, and I know… I know… That it's nothing to cry and scream over… But it was so real… So real… And In the dream, I tried to wake up you know? But I wouldn't, and when I finally did, no one was here and I thought it was real and so…" She drags off. "It was so real." She whispers.

I pull her to me and she just sits there, her body shaking. I can't even imagine what it's like. Going into the arena and watching everyone die and you, even you are killing people. I'm surprised that she hasn't had more dreams like this one.

We sit like this for, well I don't really know how long, and I don't intend to count. Finally she gets up and says she's going to shower. While she does, I go downstairs and tell her mother what she told me.

"Thank god you came Gale. She didn't believe anyone, and every time I went up there she would scream 'I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!' and then push me out. Thank you Gale!" She gives me a hug and I hug her back.

I hear Katniss call my name so I go upstairs. Katniss is in pants and a shirt at the top of the stairs. Her face is still red and her eyes look so tired and worn. I pick her up and take her to her room. I set her on the bed and sit with her.

She's looking down at her feet and she's biting her lip, sort of like she's contemplating something. She looks up at me.

"Gale, I'm sorry. You probably think I'm crazy now, but It was so real and-" I cut her off before she can continue.

"It's okay. I get it, don't worry. I would say get some sleep, but that wouldn't really help." I say jokingly. She smiles and scoots over towards me. She leans her head on my shoulder and we sit there like that for a while.

"You should get home, Hazelle is probably worried." She says to me. I look at her and I know that she doesn't want me to leave. I call for Prim and she comes in and gives Katniss a big hug.

"Prim, can you tell my mom I'm with Katniss? Tell her what happened. Tell her I'll be home when I can." Prim nods and hugs me and whispers in my ear "Thank You." She leaves the room.

"Gale, you didn't have to do that," She says looking at me. I push a strand of her hair back and cradle her face.

"Yes, I did. Katniss, I've known you forever. I'll stay." She leans in and kisses my lips. She moves closer to me and wraps her arms around my neck. My arms go around her waist. She pulls me closer to her and then she pulls away. She kisses my nose and sits back down.

"What was that for?" I ask.

"For everything." She replies. I see her blush and then her mother enters with bowls of soup. She gives them to both of us and takes them when they are done. Katniss lies down and she looks tired though I can tell she is afraid to go to sleep.

She's holding on to my hand and I feel a slight tug and she beckons me to come lay with her. I lie down next to her and prop myself on my elbow and she turns and looks at me. She wraps her arms around me and snuggles against my chest. I look down on her, how right now she looks so vulnerable and helpless. I kiss her head and she smiles.

Gosh I love her so much, I really do. No matter what happens. Even if she loved Peeta or didn't love me back. I would still love her.

"I love you," I say to her.

"I love you too." She replies. She lightly kisses my lips and snuggles back down. After a while we both fall asleep in each other's arms.


	3. Chapter 3: The Question

**Katniss POV**

"PRIM? PRIM!" I call out. I don't know where I am, but its dark and I'm sprinting because I'm hearing my name being called out in a scream, and I can tell that it's Prim. The ground makes loud crunches under my feet and the screaming gets louder and louder.

I stop when I am at the spot the scream seems to be emitted from. I look around and I see Rue trapped in a net. I run up to her and she's stops screaming.

"Katniss! Run!" Rue's face morphs into Prim's and she's telling me to run. I try to get her out of the net, and I do. We get up to run and I feel something slam into my back. I'm knocked onto my back and standing over me is a mutt.

"PRIM! RUN!" I scream. She stays, but she then turns into… She turns into Peeta, except it's not Peeta. He has a cold blooded look, like he wants to kill me. The mutt seems to smile somehow and then right as Peeta approaches me, it seems as if the whole place I'm in disappears.

I shoot up, looking around frantically. I'm only in my room, I'm not in a forest, or torture chamber, or whatever that place was. It's still dark and there is not light in my room. I push my hair out of my face and feel that I was sweating. I stand to stretch and shower.

I let the water run over me and try to stop thinking about all of these dreams. When I get out of the shower, I remember that Gale is in my room. My hand runs over my soft robe and I throw it on and walk into my room.

I go to the dresser and grab a pair of pants and a long-sleeve. I go back into the bathroom and put them on and brush my teeth and hair. When I finish, I hear my name being called like a whisper. I go into my room and see nothing. I go to the small little table next to my bed and turn on the small lamp and I see Gale.

I can barely tell, but his lips are moving, saying my name. His hands slightly move around like he's looking for something and then his eyes flash open. He blinks a couple of times and looks down at the empty space next to him and then he looks up at me.

"Katniss? What's wrong?" He says groggily. He starts to get up but I walk over to the bed and sit next to him.

"Nothing, just a bad dream, just went to take a shower." I reply as I lay down. He pulls me to him and nestles his head into the crook between my head and shoulders. He doesn't say anything, but he just holds me like this.

I feel tired, but I'm afraid to go to sleep. I am very afraid. He kisses my chin and I smile a little. Gale being here makes me feel safer, but only a little because, I know that he could be taken away from me at any minute.

Eventually I drift off into a, thank god, dreamless sleep. When I wake though, I see my door open a crack, and I see my mother looking in smiling. She doesn't notice that my eyes are open and she closes the door after staring for a little while. I stay in Gale's arms until he awakes, which is not long after my mother watched us.

"Good morning Catnip," He says.

"Good morning Gale." I reply to him. I get up and stretch my legs and I see Gale do the same. He walks over to me and I hug him. We just stand there like that and I whisper in his ear "Thanks for staying with me." He laughs and replies "No problem."

He gently pulls my head back and kisses me, slowly and deeply. I pull him closer to me, instantly craving more. I feel his tongue gently trace my lower lip and I pull him closer. When we finally break away, I feel a smile on my face. He smiles back and we go downstairs.

"Katniss, Gale, I made you guys some breakfast. Gale also I made you some food to take to Hazelle, Vick, Rory, and Posy when you leave." My mother says, putting a basket on the table.

"Thank you," Gale says to my mother. She glances at me and raises her eyebrows and Gale notices because he looks at me as if to say "What's going on?" I raise my shoulders and he looks at the table.

"Well, I've got to get back home, thanks for the food, and I will see you in the meadow." He says to me and my mother. He waves goodbye and walks out the door with the basket in his hands.

My mother calls after Gale. "Gale, stay, eat some food!" She calls.

"No thanks! But thanks for the offer!" He says. My mother closes the door and sits next to me. She folds her hands and looks at me.

"How are you feeling?" She asks me as she takes my hand.

"I feel fine, just kind of tired." I say, though I know that she knows that I won't sleep, because I'm afraid of the dreams coming back. She hugs me and makes me eat breakfast. I finish it and I wash my dish after.

"Is Prim at school?" I ask.

"Yeah, she is." My mother replies. I nod and go sit on the couch and read my father's plant book, when I hear a knock on the door. I get up and open the door to find Haymitch. He walks in and grabs my shoulders and pulls me into another room.

"Katniss, I have some bad news. It's about President Snow." Haymitch says in a low voice. He ushers me out the door and tells my mother that we are going for a walk. We get outside and we walk away from the house.

"Haymitch, what's going on?" I ask hurriedly.

"Remember in the games when you buried Rue in flowers?" He asks me. I nod, but what does this have to do with anything.

"Well, they didn't cut the cameras away in time and everyone saw. The whole country of Panem. That right their caused an uprising in District Eleven and District Four. And when Peeta…. Died, how you cursed the Capitol and you drew your mockingjay on his arm with mud. Ever since then, people have been starting a rebellion." Haymitch says.

"They can't have started a rebellion. You're… You're lying." I say, unable to believe what I'm hearing.

"I'm not lying, sweetheart."

"Well, how would you even know about all of this? If it's true?" I say accusingly.

"Sweetheart, I have my sources. Also known as Cinna, which when he comes to prep you for the Victory Tour, he will tell you." He says. I look into Haymitch's unusually not-drunk eyes and I know he is telling the truth.

"Well, what I do?"

"I don't know, try to defuse the situation?" He says unsure of himself. We walk to the hob and buy as much as we can, and then we both head home. When I go home I give my mother the items we picked up and then I go change into my hunting gear and head off to the meadow.

**Gale's POV**

When I get home, I put the basket on the table and my mother goes through it. Inside are food, medicine, tea, thread and salt. All of the things we needed more of. _Thank you_ I think. My mother asks me how the night went and I told her it went okay. I told her that I comforted her and all of that.

I see Posy sitting on the floor playing with two wooden dolls that Katniss gave her when she got back. Posy has always wanted those and Katniss gave them to her. I give Posy a kiss on the head and tell my mom that I'm going to go hunting.

I get to the fence and slip through the hole and make my way towards my snares. I've caught all rabbits and one squirrel and I put them all in my game bag. I walk to the pond and pull out the homemade fishing pole that lays unseen in the brambles on the ground.

I pull it out and fish for an hour or two and I catch a lot. When I put them in my game bag, I hear the snap of twigs very lightly. I turn around and see Katniss standing there, her hands cupping her elbows.

She walks over and grabs her fishing pole and sits next to me.

"Hey, did you catch anything?" She asks as she scoots next to me.

"Yeah, a lot actually. What about you, did you check your snares?" I reply. She shakes her head and I feel her hand intertwine with mine.

"Well," she says. "Do you want to go hunt?" She looks at me with a questioning look.

"Yeah, let's go hunt." I say back to her; And hunt we do. We bring down a buck, three squirrels, two rabbits and a wild dog. We collect greens and a whole bunch of strawberries. When we finish we go to the hob and trade. We also buy things, and all of the money Katniss gets, she gives it to me.

"Katniss, I don't need it." I say giving the money back to her.

"Gale, I have enough money to begin with. I have everything." She puts the money in my hands.

"Katniss, take it."

"Gale, please keep it. Please?" She looks at me and she puts the money in my hands. I take it and put it in my pocket. There's no point in arguing with Katniss, somehow she will get it to me and if not, she will give it to my mother.

After this small argument we trade strawberries with the mayor, but we don't trade squirrels with the baker. I don't think Katniss wants to go there. Not right now anyways, and I don't blame her for that.

We head back to my house after we finish and when we get their Posy is ecstatic to see Katniss. Posy thanks her again and again for the dolls and she talks about them. Rory and Vick give her hugs and talk about her teaching them how to hunt, since I will be taking a job at the mines.

"Ooh, I thought Gale wasn't taking the job at the mines." Katniss says. She looks down at her hands.

"Yeah, he's gonna take it in about a month or so, when he turns nineteen." Says Vick. Katniss's face drops a little. Hazelle looks over at me and gives me a look. I look back at Katniss and she stands up.

"Well, thank you guys, umm I have to go, my mom is probably worried. I'll see you guys later." She walks to the front door, waves and walks out. I walk out after her and I see her walking with small steps.

"Katniss? What's wrong?" I call after her, jogging up to her.

"Nothing… Gale, I got to go." She says hurriedly, not looking me in the eye.

"Katniss, is it because I'm going to work in the mines?" I ask. It all of a sudden feels really cold outside.

"No, Gale I have to go." She starts to walk away again but I catch her arm. She turns around and I see tears forming in her eyes.

"It is, isn't it. Katniss, you know I have to do it, I have to find a way to… To provide for my family!" I say to her. She wipes a tear off her cheek and she shakes her head.

"Gale, you don't have too. I… We lost our fathers to the mines, and I don't want to lose you." She says. She turns around but I get in front of her and grab her shoulders softly.

"Katniss, how would I get any money otherwise? Hunting can't provide everything!" I say to her looking her in her eyes. I then realize the other way she is thinking of to keep me out of the mines.

"No, absolutely not Katniss. You are not going to provide my family money." I shake my head and she just looks at me.

"Why not, Gale? I mean, you can hunt, and then trade and get money off of that, and I can help. Everybody knows I have more than enough money. Please Gale, don't work in the mines."

"Katniss, we're not arguing about this. No." I say to her.

"I say we are arguing about this, Gale. Why can't I? Gale I don't want to lose you and neither does your family." She argues back, stepping back away from my grasp.

"I know but nothing is going to happen! Why can't you see that?" I say back.

"Because Gale!" She yells at me. "Don't you think our fathers felt the same way? That nothing's going to happen? But guess what Gale, I'm not sure if you noticed, but something did happen! They are dead! " She screams at me.

I stand there, completely speechless. I didn't know that this bothered her so much.

"Katniss, nothing is going to happen to me." I say quietly.

"I wish I could believe that Gale, but unfortunately President Snow probably has sent out an order to kill everyone I love!" She yells.

"What do you mean, kill everyone you love?" I say. What is she talking about?

"Gale theirs a rebellion in District Four and Eleven because I what I did with Peeta and Rue." She says to me. A rebellion.

"A rebellion! Katniss this is perfect! We can rebel and stop the Hunger Games!" I practically shout.

"I shouldn't have told you that, I shouldn't have told you that." She says.

"Katniss, he won't kill anyone, and you know how I know that? Because if he did, you would go on with the rebellion for revenge. He's not going to do anything." A rebellion, this is perfect.

"Never mind Gale. You don't get it." She turns to leave.

"Katniss, stop. He won't do anything to me or anyone." I grab her hand but she yanks away.

"Don't you get it Gale? I've seen enough people die, I've killed before. If you die it's my fault, and even if you go and don't I will still think that something will happen because of me. You're family doesn't want to you to die Gale!" She screams at me. She turns to walk away and I stand their completely speechless.

She gets to the point where she is almost out of my sight before I go after her. I get to her and spin her around.

"I know my family doesn't want me to go and I know that you don't want me to go, and…" I take a deep breath. "I won't. I can hunt and trade, it will be like a job." I say; and it's true. I know my mother doesn't want me to take the job, but I guess if I hunt and trade a lot, it could work.

"Gale, it's your choice, not mine. Do what you want." She starts up again.

"Katniss, if me taking this job really hurts my family and you like this, I won't take it. I can find another way." I say to her.

"Gale, I don't want you to make this descision because of me."

"I'm not Katniss. If this is what it takes to make everyone happy, then so be it."

She looks at me and she smiles, she knows I'm telling the truth, and even with all of the people around us, she stands up on her tiptoes and kisses me.

She throws her arms around my neck, and mine wrap around her waist. Her eyes are closed and mine are too. I hear the faint sound of clapping but all I am thinking about it Katniss. Katniss with her soft hair, beautiful eyes, long brown hair, and beautiful face.

When we pull away, everyone is clapping. I see my mother and Rory clapping amongst the crowd. I look down at Katniss who is beet red and she steps to the side. She nods and hugs me and runs off. I feel a hand on my back and I look to see my mother staring at me with a smile on her face. She gestures me to come with her back home and I follow.

When we arrive at home, my mom tells me to sit down and tells Rory to go into the room with Vick and Posy. She grabs a cup of water and sets on the table next to me. She clears her throat.

"So, you and Katniss…?" She drifts off, looking at me for an answer.

"Yeah, you saw and yeah." I say.

"Well, that's not why I wanted to talk to you, but in other words, congrats." She says with a little laugh. "Katniss's mother came here while you two were out, doing what you do, and she asked me to ask you to go on the Victory Tour with Katniss." My mother says to me.

"I can't, I have to stay here and hunt for you guys." I reply, even though, I honestly would like to go.

"Let me finish, her mother knew you would say this so, she gave us enough money to last, several months. At first I didn't want to take it, but then she told me what happened and I always hear you sleep talk about her, and Katniss's mother begged. I accepted and planned to return the money to her when I heard you and Katniss talking. I heard everything, and I agree with her. I don't want you in the mines and thank you for deciding not to go."

"She said she would help keep us by giving us money and I heard how you denied and denied it and I saw how you finally agreed to not work their because we don't want you too. We also know that you don't want to work there. There are other ways to get money Gale, and you not working in the mines, we still have a comfortable life. So anyways, Gale I want you to go on the tour with Katniss." She concludes.

We sit in silence while I think about my answer. I already know I am going to say yes, but I want it to seem like I'm thinking about it. I finally tell my mother yes and she says to get ready to pack, because they leave in a week. I hug my mother and she starts to tear, and I know she is glad I am not working in the mines.

**Katniss POV**

My mother told me she invited Gale to go on the Victory Tour with me, and I was ecstatic that she asked. I hugged her and thanked her and she seemed surprised that I was so happy about it. She told me that they didn't have a definite answer, but I knew Gale would say yes.

I was still kind of confused about our fight today but I didn't dwell on it. Prim tells me that she saw me and Gale kissing, and that she was glad we were together.

Prim and I played games for a while, and when the doorbell rang I went to answer it. Standing there, in the beginning snow, was Gale.

"So, I guess I'm going on the Victory Tour with you." He says smiling.

"I guess you are!" I reply, wrapping him in an embrace. He pulls me for a kiss and I catch a glimpse of my mother and Prim smiling staring at us. I soon forget about them and think about how Gale is mine. I love Gale.

He pulls away and I say "I love you." He smiles and replies with "I love you too."


	4. Chapter 4: The Victory Tour

**Katniss POV**

My bags are packed, my clothes chosen appropriately by Cinna, and my hair braided down my back. All I'm waiting for now is for Gale to show up. He's coming on this trip with me. He's probably saying goodbye to everyone in his family. While I wait for him, I sit on the porch with my mother, Prim, and Cinna. Cinna has never met Gale, so he is staying here to meet him.

I see him walking up the road with a bag. It's all I can do to not push everyone and run to meet him. I stand up and walk to him and give him a huge hug.

"Thank you so much for coming. I know how hard this must be for you, leaving your family." I say to him, as I am wrapped in his warm embrace.

"No problem, though I think I might jump the train. Just for future reference," He says laughing. He grabs my hand and we walk towards my house. We climb up the stairs and I look to see Cinna smiling and laughing lightly.

Cinna stands up and holds out his hand for Gale to shake. Gale shakes it and Cinna then introduces himself to Gale.

"Hello, I'm Cinna, Katniss's stylist and yours now too." He says confidently. Gale nods and gives Prim a hug. Prim giggles and I walk over to Prim.

"Okay Prim, I'm going now. I'll be back soon take care of Buttercup." She nods and I kiss her on her head. I go and hug my mother, telling her that I love her. Cinna grabs my hand and I grab Gale's and we get into the black car that leads to the train station.

We board the train and when the door closes, Gale stands in, what I believe is awe. He looks at the carpet and see's all of the food, just at his dispense. I stand with him and Cinna says he has to help Effie with something's so when he leaves I grab on to Gale's arm.

"All of this food is for… Us?" He asks slowly.

"I know, it's a lot, way too much." I reply to him. He steps into the room and sits on the couch. He strokes his hand over the couch fabric repeatedly. I go to the table and grab to glasses of water and bring one to Gale who takes it and looks at the glass. I know it's a lot for him to take in, the same as it was for me.

"Well, if you think this is insane, wait until you take a shower, that's what you need to be worried about." I say. He laughs and takes a drink out of the glass. He sets it on the table and looks out the window. His mouth drops open with a pop and I walk to the window and see he is looking at the speed.

"The mechanics of this train must be… Insane!" He says laughing lightly. I grab his hand and he stares at the window, and just as he pulls me in for a kiss Effie bursts through the door.

"Ooh Katniss!" She squeals, running towards me to give me a hug. I hug her and she kisses me on both cheeks.

"Hello Effie, this is my… friend Gale," I say pointing towards Gale. She gives Gale a hug and Gale just kind of stands their a little awkwardly. Effie tells us to just relax and by tomorrow we will be in district eleven. She goes to the food table and makes a small plate and eats it at the dining table.

"Gale, let's put our stuff in the room okay?" He nods and goes to the couch and grabs his bag, and I lead him through the train to our room. When we open the door, he looks around.

"So, all of this space is just for us?" He asks. I nod and tell him that this is like a room for a dog in the Capitol. He goes to the bed and starts talking about how everything is so big and then, when he walks into the bathroom he comes out just looking confused.

"You're gonna have to teach me how to use that, because I have no clue." I laugh and so does he. Then his face gets sort of serious looking.

"So, I'm just your friend then?" He asks.

"Gale, I didn't mean it like that…" I say.

"I know, I'm just playing with you. Come here," He says and I do go to him. He wraps me in a hug and he pulls me up so he's carrying me. He leans his head down and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck and then the door opens.

"Katniss, Gale, dinner is…" Effie drops off her sentence when she sees me and Gale. She tries to hide a smile, and I can tell because of the expression on her face.

"Dinner is ready, be out whenever is possible." She leaves the room, and I blush a deep red. Gale just kind of stands there and then puts me down. He grabs my hand and says "Let's go eat!"

We walk out of the room hand in hand, and we notice everyone staring and then looking away vastly. I pull my hand out of Gale's and he goes to sit. Effie tells us to eat whatever we want and I see Gale's eyebrows rise when all of the food gets handed out.

"So, Katniss, are you excited for the Victory Tour?" Asks Effie.

"Not really, it will just bring more nightmares." I reply. Effie looks down at her lap and then takes a bight into her chicken. I think that's what it is anyways.

"Well, wouldn't surprise me. I could hear her screaming every night from my house." Haymitch says drunkenly.

"What would you know Haymitch; you're drunk all the time anyways." I whip back.

"Katniss, use your manners please." Effie says very stiffly.

"Katniss, we know you have nightmares, but all you have to do is make it through the tour, okay?" Cinna says reassuringly to me. I nod and go to eating my food. I look across to see Gale eating in silence.

"So who's this kid you brought with ya?" Haymitch says as he eyes Gale. I put down my fork and look Haymitch directly in the eye.

"That's my boyfriend." I say loudly. I don't like the way Haymitch looked at Gale. Haymitch just laughs and takes a sip of wine.

"What's so funny about that Haymitch?" I ask, getting very angry. Why is he picking on me all of a sudden? Haymitch fills his glass up to the tip and glugs it all down before he answers.

"Just that… Nothing, never mind go back to eating you're food." I glance over at Gale who is having a quiet discussion with Cinna, and I just eat in silence for the rest of the meal. Gale gets a cup of hot chocolate, and when he drinks it, he looks completely in heaven.

After the meal I go straight to bed, telling Gale to do whatever he pleases. When I get into my room I take a shower and was my hair and all of the light makeup Cinna put on me. When I get out, I dress in a night dress, it's kind of short. I brush my hair and teeth and get into the bed.

I don't sleep I just, lie down and Gale soon enters. He goes to the shower and I tell him how to use it and after what seems like years he comes out.

"That was, amazing." He says laughing. He's already dressed and I he sits he beckons me to come over, and when I do he sees me in the dress and his eyebrows rise slightly and I blush like crazy. I sit next to him and he talks about how amazing everything is and all of that.

He holds my hand and we fall asleep on the couch and I am plagued by dreams of Thresh and Rue.

Thresh kills me and all of these horrible dreams plague me tonight. I scream myself and Gale awake many times. I eventually go outside and watch reruns of the Capitol T.V. Gale doesn't come out and I'm glad because I don't want to wake him up anymore. Tomorrow will be hell for him, because he has never experienced it before.


	5. Chapter 5: President Snow

**Gale POV**

Katniss doesn't exaggerate when she says I may not like what they do to make me look "pretty". There has been a million times where I have just wanted to run out of the place and just leave. They rip the hair out of everywhere but my head, eyebrows, and hair on my head.

I grit my teeth as I feel another yank and a sharp pain that faintly disappears. A girl who's name I think is Portia says "Sorry, You're doing really well, other people would have ran out." She says looking down. I look at her a little more closely and I notice something under all of the makeup.

Her eyes are the grey of the seam eyes. Her skin, under all of the makeup, is olive and tan like ours. I look at her face closely and then her name comes to my lips. "Kayna," I whisper. She looks up and then abruptly looks back down.

Portia, or Kayna tells everyone to leave and that she can handle it from here. She closes the door and hands me a robe and sits down on the seat next to the bed I have been lying on.

"How did you know it was me?" She asks, her voice turning a high pitch.

"You're eyes and skin. I also recognized your face," I say, and then the real question pops out of my mouth. "How did you escape? Everyone thought you were dead."

"I snuck on the train, when Nyssa and Dominic were chosen; I got off and ran to live in the capitol." She whispers to me. She then mouths the words "There are cameras here, I will tell you later." She gets up and lays me back down and finishes me up.

I can't believe Kayna didn't get caught. Everyone thought she died, because one day she stopped showing up for school. She didn't have a family so people thought she starved. She finishes and pulls me into hug and whispers in my ear "Please don't tell anyone." I nod and then she leaves and then Cinna comes in.

"Hello Gale, I'm Cinna, you're stylist. If Katniss has told you anything about me-" I cut him off.

"Yeah, she told me. So, what are we gonna dress in for District Eleven?" He explains to me that he is dressing me in a simple green tux, and that Katniss will be wearing something similar. He dresses me in one of the softest and smoothest things I have ever felt and tells me that it is called 'Silk'.

I stand out in the sitting area, as I wait for Katniss. I have a drink of the Hot Chocolate, or that's what I think it's called anyways. I wipe my upper lip on a napkin and sit to wait for Katniss. I sit their fiddling with a pillow for a while when I hear the sound of heels on the floor. I look up and see Katniss.

She is in a light green dress that falls to the floor. It shimmers down her body looking like a waterfall of green. Her hair is slightly curly and falls down to below her shoulders. She has little makeup but she looks stunning.

I finally realize that my mouth is open, but I shut it abruptly before anyone could notice. I stand and grab Katniss's hand and Effie tells us the plan. She pushes us lightly outside and then we are in the custody of the peacekeepers. The push us into the car and take us through the District to get to the justice building.

I see grain, fruits, vegetables, and almost all foods that can be grown, growing here. Surounded by dirt, it's almost all I see, besides the huts made out of bricks, dirt, and I think mud. I only see several wood houses. We get to the justice building, which is lard and made out of white marble. It shines in the sunlight, and when we enter me and Katniss are dazzled.

The carpets are a soft, plush, looking red and the walls are an off-white, and though everything is different, it fits with the scenery. The mayor of District Eleven, a tall man with short black hair and dark skin greets us very stiffly. He looks at Katniss with slightly reassuring eyes, but they are also full of something rude, and mean that I can't place.

Katniss nods and he leads us out to the giant stage overlooking probably not even a quarter of the people in Eleven.

**Katniss POV**

I stand on the stage, with Gale gripping my hand, in front of what seems like a million people, though I know it's really not that much. I gulp and I walk up to the microphone as they mayor tries to calm down the crowd enough to let me speak. When the crowd is finally quiet enough, I speak into the microphone.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen of District Eleven, I'm Katniss Everdeen of District Twelve, and," I glance at Gale who looks back at me and squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"And, I would like to thank you. I know all of you probably hate me, because of what happened and I won instead of Thresh," I take a glance at the woman standing by herself; lightly sobbing into a picture that I am assuming is of Thresh.

"Or Rue," I look at Rue's family. Her mother and father and siblings, who all resemble her, I feel a pain deep in my gut when I see the littlest standing on the tip of her toes just like Rue used to. I wipe the tears in my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I know how much this has affected you all, and I know that the hole in your hearts can never be healed, and the dreams you will have will never go away, but I want to help so, every year the families of Thresh and Rue will receive a fraction of my winnings." I say. I'm not sure if this is allowed, but that's why I didn't ask.

I hear the whole crowd gasp and I see all of the families look up at me and smile small smiles. I clear my throat and continue on.

"Even though I did not know Thresh, he saved my life. And… And I respected him, for staying on his own and being strong and never letting anyone faze him. I respect him and thank him, with all that I have." I see the older woman smile and wrap her arms around the photo.

"Rue, who was just like my sister, did much for me, and though it may not seem, has left the biggest mark on me. I see her every night in my dreams, and I know she will never go away. It's good and bad. Good that I know she is with me and bad because I watch her die over and over again."

"Thresh and Rue, wherever you are, thank you for everything." I place my three fingers on my lips and lift my hand into the air, with thanks. I see Gale, who never knew them, do the same and I see a tear in his eye.

I look into the crowd and see a man walk to the front of the crowd and do the same. Everyone else follows and I look out on a sea of hands. I see the old man fight his way to the front of the stage and give me a hug and whisper thanks in my ear.

The peacekeepers yank him off of me and he hits him. I hear the crowd start to roar and then the peacekeepers are shoving me and Gale back inside. I turn around as I am being shoved to make sure the man is okay, and I turn back just to see him get shot in the head.

We are inside before we know it and I see Haymitch running towards us. He grabs my arm and Gale's and brings us to the car.

"Dinner has been cancled, we got to go." When we get to the train, we are shoved on and the peacekeeper looks at me with a hard face and slams the door on my hand.

"OW!" I shout as I jump back, though I don't get far, because my hand is stuck in the door. Gale opens it and takes my hand out and inspects it. It's bleeding and I see Haymitch grab cloth off of the table and wrap my finger in it.

"Haymitch, I'm so sorry I didn't know what-" He waves his hand as if to shush me and I close my mouth as he goes to the drink table to get a drink.

"Katniss, what you did was, well I don't know what it was, but President Snow will not be happy. Nor will the Mayor of Eleven. Causing what you just caused," He says.

"I didn't know that I would cause that! I didn't know that, that man would get shot." I hear these awful choking sounds coming from my throat, and I know I'm about to sob. Gale wraps his arms around me and looks at Haymitch.

"Well, who cares what the President thinks? It's her money!" Gale says.

"Yes, but he supplies it. Now Katniss, what you did and said has caused a small riot. You cannot do this in the other districts, because if you do… Well, I don't really know what will happen. But I guarantee that it will not be good." Haymitch gets up and leaves.

Gale pulls my chin up and makes me look him in the eye. "I think what you did was amazing. Those familys will be changed forever now. That man, I'm so sorry that happened Katniss." He pulls me for a kiss that is long and lingering. I sob a little during the kiss, at the fact that the old man got killed for hugging me.

We both go back to the room and shower and we go out when dinner is ready, except I don't eat. I don't feel like eating and I'm not hungry. I feel slightly hollow. That man was innocent, though everyone thrown in the games is innocent, aren't they?

Maybe I should rebel against the capitol. No, they will kill my family and that will cause another war. I immediately push the thought away and I take a small sip of my water. No one talks, and when there is an attempt at conversation, its shut down by either me or Haymitch.

Finally Effie breaks in sounding exasperated. "Why is nobody speaking? What is going on?" She asks, her voice sounding slightly squeaky. No one says anything and she just gets up from the table and leaves.

I follow and leave to go to my room. I sit on the small couch in the corner and I hear the door close as someone else comes in. I feel the couch sink slightly and I know its Gale. I can smell the comforting smell of home on him. He picks me up and brings me to the bed and sets me on it. He sits next to me and looks me in the eyes.

"Portia is Kayna." He says looking seriously at me.

"Kayna from… Twelve?" I ask slowly. He nods. "No, she's dead."

"No Katniss, she disappeared, she hopped on the train with Nyssa and Dominic. Think of Kayna and think of Portia." As soon as I think of the too, my brain makes the connection and I know Kayna is Portia.

"Oh my god! How did she…?" He shakes his head and mouths "Cameras on the train, I will tell you later." I nod and I immediately feel the guilt of the old man run over me again. I lower my eye to my feet, covered by the pants I am wearing. Gale pulls me into his lap and I sob quietly until I have nothing left inside me.

"I am the worst girlfriend ever; all I do is cry on all of your shirts." I say laughing lightly.

"No, you're perfect. Nothing you do will ever make me hate you or think of you like that. I've experienced what is was like to think I lost you. When Clove threw the knife and it hit your head, I honestly thought you were…" He doesn't have to say, I know he thought I was dead. I thought I was dead too, because the pain was so blinding.

I lean in to kiss Gale, and my arms tangle into his hair. His tounge traces my lower lip and mine does the same. When we pull apart, I see him smiling.

"Even before I knew who you were, I would see you at school. Even then, I had a little crush on you. I'm happy you're mine now." He says. I smile and kiss him again. I fall asleep in his arms with is warmth surrounding me in comfort.

Running, flat out sprint. That is too slow. They're gaining on me, they are on my heels. I jump around and sprint in the opposite direction, but I turned too slow. The mutts are coming after me. I run back to the cornucopia, stopping and panting for air. I see an old man wave at me and yell something. I go towards him because I can't hear, and then he falls to the ground, his head open, blood spilling everywhere.

I go to him and try, with no attempt, to say any last words of comfort to him before peacekeepers drag me into a room. I see Gale strapped in chains against the wall and the peacekeepers are beating him. I shout for them to stop and they see no avail. Gale's screams are getting louder and more painful sounding.

I try to get up, but I am strapped down too. I see Gale look at me and then I see a stick come down on his head, and then I hear the loud, recognizable sound of the cannon.

**Gale POV**

I faintly hear my name; it's getting called, then shouted, then screamed, then screamed out in pain and fear. I shoot up in the bed and see Katniss on her back shouting and screaming my name. I shake gently and her eyes shoot open and she screams on until she sees me.

"Katniss, it's just a dream, it's okay…" I say to her. She's blinking and pinching her arm, like she's trying to make sure she is awake. She stands up and runs to the bathroom and slams the door. I go to the door and I hear the sounds of vomiting. I try to open the door but it's locked.

"Katniss, open up. It's me Gale, please open!" I say. The noises get louder and louder and I ram the door with my shoulder and it flies open. I see Katniss crouched over the toilet, and her hair hangs over her face covering her from my sight.

She shoo's me out with her hand and flushes the toilet. She stays crouched in the position and I go over to her to try to comfort her but she just stays like that.

"Katniss what was the dream about?" She doesn't say anything. She doesn't even move, I don't see her chest moving or anything.

"Katniss?" I ask more worriedly. Still nothing, I shake her a little bit and then she just shakes her head and mutters something with the word "Shower" in it so I assume she wants to take a shower.

"Okay, I will be outside, if you need me call me okay?" She mutters something and I walk outside and she closes the door. I sit outside the door for an hour and when I stand to look at the clock, it says eleven thirty.

I sit outside the door for another hour before it opens up and I see Katniss walk out. She sits down next to me and whispers "Sorry, go back to bed." I shake my head and I scoot over to her and wrap her in my arms.

"What were they about?" I ask. She just shakes her head and leans against me.

"Gale, almost every time we sleep in the same bed, I wake you. So you can go to sleep, I'll take the couch." She says starting to get up, but I pull her down.

"Katniss, if this was me, you would be doing the same thing. I know I would have these dreams too and they would be about my family and you, it's fine. Trust me," I say to her because everything I just said is true. I can't even imagine what it's like watching twenty three people die.

After coaxing Katniss into the bed, she falls asleep and so do I, but I drift into semi consciousness several times when I think Katniss is having a bad dream. When I wake up, I see Katniss sitting at the couch with a whole cart of food in front of her.

"Someone's hungry, you eating the whole cart?" I ask groggily, getting up and stretching. She stops and looks at me and I see her mouth is full of food. I laugh and watch as she chews and swallows all of the food.

"No, probably just half." She replies. "Hey, Gale? About last night-"

"No, it's totally okay Catnip, just finish eating or I will steal your food." I say walking over and eating with her. She drops the subject and I know she's done talking about it, for now at least. We eat and talk and kiss for a while and then we are called in for another 'Makeover', as Katniss calls it.

We speed through all of the districts fast, they are all short trips, and Katniss has to read off cards now instead of saying her own speech, which I find very, rude and stupid. But, it's not up to me. When we get to the Capitol we have a feast and we dance all night. It's fun, and when we board the train, we all fall asleep very quickly.

**Katniss POV**

It's been almost two weeks when we arrive back at District Twelve for the feast. The place is so full and happy looking and it shocks me. I never expected our District to look like this. When we get off the train, Hazelle, Rory, Vick, and little Posy all run to Gale and hug him. Gale shows them the food that he snuck into his bag and I see Hazelle laugh. Gale hugs his family and I go to mine and hug them.

"My little duck how was it while I was gone?" I ask. She giggles at the reference and hugs me.

"It was fine, me and mom missed you though," She pulls back and I smooth back her hair. I pull my mother in a big hug and squeeze her. I told her about the trip and she tells us that the feast is going to be "Grand and Magical".

Grand and Magical it is. The place is decorated beautifully in the white snow, and it looks like a wonderland. Everyone feasts and leave with full bellies, and, the most shocking, President Snow makes a special appearance. After the meal when everyone is leaving, he pulls me off to the side, wanting to have a word with me.

"Hello Katniss, how was the tour?" I ask.

"It was great, I had a fun time." I reply.

"Well, it seems your friend did too." He clears his throat and I smell the scent of blood and roses.

"Well, I have come to tell you about an uprising. Nobody else but me knows, but you, with burring Rue in flowers, and giving money to the families, and what you did with Peeta, has caused, well, in lack of other terms, a slight rebellion."

"A rebellion? I didn't mean to…" I say, he shushes me and I barely resist throwing up because of the smell of blood.

"I know, but my dear Katniss, you should know, Actions speak louder than words, and I'm afraid to say your actions have made the districts Catch fire." He says.

"Well, you can't kill me, because that will just make them rebel more." I say drily. On the outside, I may look calm and poised, but on the inside I am screaming. He could be planning my families and Gale and his families death.

"Well, maybe, but there is always a way to stop it, by showing them we have more power. Do you get what I am saying Miss Everdeen?" He says smirking.

"I do, so what are you going to kill Gale and his family and mine?" I ask, my voice starting to shake with anger and fright.

"Oh no, that is too easy. What I am going to do, is send out more force in all of the districts an if that doesn't work, I will do something to surprise everyone in Panem, and if that causes them to fight back even more, then I guess we have a war in our hands. Good night Katniss. I will see you soon, keep in mind our conversation." He says. He kisses my cheek and I stand there as he gets in his car and drives away. I run to the corner and vomit.

He's going to kill Gale's and my family, but he can't because it will start even more of a rebellion. Then what will he do? I don't understand. My mind is racing too much, though I know deep down he won't kill Gale's or my family because even the president knows that this will cause more of an uprising.

I walk back to the square and see that it has already been cleaned up. I see Gale standing there with his family.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asks. I nod and tell him he just asked me about the trains and about coming over again for a special appearance at the next reaping for the Seventy Fifth Annual Hunger Games. He nods and kisses me on the cheek goodbye and I can barely kiss him back, knowing that I could possibly be the death of him and his family.


	6. Chapter 6: The Quarter Quell

**Gale POV**

New peacekeepers have been coming in every single day. All day for almost a week, well ever since Katniss and I got back from the Victory tour, but they have been coming in and enforcing rules that have never been enforced before. They even set up a god-damn whipping post in the middle of the square. Fortunately though, people have not been getting whipped.

I still make it to the woods to go hunting which is good, even though we still have money left over from the money Katniss's mother gave my family. Today I grab my hunting bag, and go to the woods to check my snares and go hunting. Then after I go trade, I'm going to go visit Katniss.

I walk to the fence and listen for the hum of electricity and I am greeted with no sound. I slip under the hole and jog into the forest checking my snares. I caught three rabbits, two squirrels, and I even take down a turkey, though it doesn't fit in my game bag, so I decide to carry it to the hob to trade for some wool, or salt, or thread. Maybe all three if I get lucky.

I walk to the fence and I leave my game bag at Katniss's old house, deciding I'll come and get it later on my way home. Throwing the turkey over my shoulder and starting to walk towards the hob. I get about halfway there when I see a group of peacekeepers walking towards me. I wave, thinking Darius is with them. I start to walk towards them and when I get to them, one of the peacekeepers yanks my hands, causing me to drop the turkey.

"Ow, Darius what are you doing?" I say pulling my hands away, but it's too late, he cuffed them.

"I'm not Darius, I'm Romulus Thread, the new head peacekeeper. You have been poaching?" He asks, tighting the cuffs. I race through my brain coming up with a lie.

"N… No! The turkey was just, Ow, will you loosen it up a bit!" In answer he tightens the cuffs and I continue. "The turkey was just walking through and so I stabbed it with a stick, I was going to take it to Rooba's." I say, that sounds like a reasonable excuse, he'll let me slide.

"Well, there is not proof. Seventy whippings for you!" He shouts at the others. The grab me and shove me as I try to escape, I grunt as I try to run away but Thread pulls me up by my chin and whispers to me, "If you struggle anymore, I will make it a hundred whippings." He shoves my face down and they drag me up to the whipping post.

"Someone get these guys off of me!" I shout and someone does come to my rescue, its Darius.

"Thread, stop. He wasn't poaching, turkeys have been running wild around here for years; let him go with a warning." I turn my body into a really uncomfortable position and try to mouth thank you to Darius, but Thread kicks me in the back and my body flies back to my original position.

"Darius, I'm head of the peacekeepers now, If I say this boy gets whipped, he gets whipped, so don't back sass me unless you want to join in." He growls. He shoves Darius out of the way and I hear him move around. I see other people going to Thread to get them to stop, but he won't budge.

"What is your name?" He asks me as he crouches on his knees, putting his face right in front of mine. I don't answer and he yanks my hair and I grunt. He asks again and I work up a mouth of spit and spit in his face.

He slaps me across my face, and it hurts. I then realize there is probably metal in his gloves. Thread stands up and I hear the wood creak and I know he is behind me. I see people walking and looking and not realizing what's going on until they hear a loud crack.

At first the pain doesn't register, and after a second it does. I scream out in pain, it feels like someone is ripping my skin and breaking my spine at the same time, which maybe that is happening. I hear the crack again and the pain and I scream louder. People are rushing over to me and yelling at Thread but that doesn't stop him.

I feel the pain over and over again and with each new hit of the whip, the pain doubles until all I feel is pain. I can see the blood running down and hitting the floor. I don't know how long it is, but after what seems like years, I black out.

**Katniss POV**

President Snow wasn't lying. The day after he left, new peacekeepers cam enforcing rules that were so overlooked, people forgot they were even rules. At least nothing has happened to my family or Gale's, but it could happen at any moment, so I am prepared at all times.

When I wake this morning, I go downstairs to see Prim playing the flute. I was supposed to learn how to play it, because every victor is supposed to have a talent, but Prim played it much better.

Ever victor has to have a talent to present after the victory tour. My mother wanted me to sing but there was no way in hell that I would do that for the capitol. For Gale, Prim, Cinna, and my mother maybe, but never for the capitol.

Since I didn't have a talent, Cinna started to design clothes for me, he said we could use this as my talent, and I agreed because what else could I do, and anyways, Cinna's clothes are glamorous. The capitol is coming over in about a month to record my talent, so Cinna will have my clothes when they get here.

I give Prim and my mother a hug and I eat three bowls of soup this morning, because for some reason, I'm really hungry. My mother tells me that she is going to Haymitch's because he has a fever, and is really hung-over. I laugh at that because Haymitch is always hung-over.

I take a shower and go to the living room and just lay on the couch, clearing my head of everything, thinking that later or I should visit Gale, I'm not sure if I will but I have all day to think about it. My thoughts are interrupted when I hear shouting and a chorus of knocks on my door.

I stand up and stretch my spine, probably thinking its Haymitch and my mother trying to calm him down, but when I open the door, I am proven wrong. It's Darren and Jake, the two shopkeepers that sell candy. I wonder what they want.

"Katniss… Thank god…" They both look out of breath, their cheeks are pink and they look frightened but determined.

"What's wrong?" I ask getting worried now. The pant for about ten seconds and then Darren grabs my hand and starts to run with me tagging along.

"It's Gale… New peacekeeper…. He had a turkey on him, and they think he was poaching so they are whipping him. We need to get him to stop." He pants, still running. I practically freeze as what Darren says sinks in. They're whipping Gale. I immediately drop Darren's hand and sprint with all my strength towards the square.

I get there in time to see Gale, hunched over in the whipping post, with blood. Blood is everywhere, I run towards it just as the man whips Gale. Blood splashes out and hits my face, and I see people yelling at the man telling him to stop.

A thick guttural scream comes from my throat and I see the man look at me and look back at Gale and raise the whip. I run up to the post and jump in front of Gale to protect his broken body. The whip comes down and hits me in the face. I scream in pain, as the blinding pain and white flash of light consumes my left side of my face. I drop to my knees and I hear the man yelling something at me.

"Thread! Stop!" I hear a familiar voice shout. My vision is back just enough to see Haymitch run up to the post.

"What do you want?" He shouts.

"This man was has been given three times the amount of whippings supposed to be recivied! Stop now!" I barely see Haymitch grab the whip and I see Thread contemplate what Haymitch has said.

"Fine, but if this boy is ever caught hunting on the Capitols land, I. Will. Kill. Him." He says yanking the whip out of Haymitch's hand. Thread unties the ropes around Gale's wrist and he fall on the ground with a loud groan. Haymitch runs over to one of the store keepers and asks for a wooden board. He throws money at them and while he is coming back I crawl to Gale.

"Gale -its okay, were gonna get you to my mother okay? Gale they are going to lift you on a board and take you, it will hurt at first okay?" He doesn't say anything but just groans. His eyes are squeezed shut and when I look above him I see Darius on the floor, covered in blood. I don't question it I just look back to Gale and help them put him on the board. That is when I actually see his back. Or what's left of it.

Covered in blood, you can see his muscles. Barely, because they are surrounded with blood. I run of the stage where the whipping post is and vomit in the snow. I shakily get back and chase after Haymitch and the others that are carrying Gale. One of the men who came into my mother's shop before with a broken hand, is explaining what happened.

"They saw him with the turkey, and took him for whippings. People tried to get him to stop and Darius intervened a second time at the twenty seventh lash, and Thread knocked him out. That's when Gale passed out. Katniss came in at the forty second lash." I pick up snow and put it on my swollen face. We get to my house and my mother comes out, with another man who must have told her what happened.

She brings Gale inside and lays him on the table. She wraps ice in a cloth and gives it to me but I just run to the bathroom and vomit. How could this happen to Gale? I go back out and see my mom trying to salvage any skin. I see Prim with her making a brew of snow with herbs. She lays some on his back when Prim finishes it and his whole back tenses.

"Mom, that's not going to work, I felt it. That won't even stop a headache," I say wearily as I see Gale grip the sides of the table.

"Well, it's all we got, we don't have much stronger." She replies. I start shouting at her telling her to make something. She has Haymitch take me out, but he has to drag me, because I'm too busy screaming, yelling, and crying.

The doorbell rings and Haymitch answers it and murmurs "Crazy girl". He tells me that Madge brought some of her mother's medicine. Morphling, they call it. I take the box and give it to my mother, and when she gives it to Gale, we see his face slack with relief immediately. His back stops tensing, but still every now and then, we hear a grown. My mother tells Prim to go tell Hazelle what happened.

After an hour or two, my mother wraps Gale's back with clean cloth and leaves so she and Prim can rest, which leaves me to the task to watch Gale, which I am thankful for. When everyone leaves I go across to Gale and sit next to him and grab his hand and kiss it.

"I'm so, so, so sorry." I say sobbing, he can't hear me because he's asleep, and I'm glad because I'm bawling. I hear Gale moan and I see his eyes open.

"Gale," I say, sounding realived.

"Hey Catnip," He says very groggily. I laugh lightly, but that just causes more tears to come out. He starts to move as if to comfort me and I gently push him back onto his stomach.

"You're crazy, trying to comfort me when you're in so much pain." I say, kissing his nose.

"I saw you jump in front of me… Thanks…" He squeezes my hand and I kiss him lightly.

"You would have done the same, and I would do it a million times to save you," I say, and I know it's true.

"You can go to bed, I'm fine…"

"Nope, I'm going to stay right here and cause all kinds of trouble." I say.

"Me too…" He murmurs as the drugs pull him back under. I stay with him all night, and I know I eventually fall asleep because my sister Prim has to shake me awake. When she wakes me, my face throbs and hurts more than it did yesterday, and so I know that it must be killing Gale. Prim puts more snow on my face and tries to get me to go to bed, but I won't let her move me. I finally go to my room, when Haymitch comes in and carries me up.

I drift between crying and screaming from nightmares of me not getting Gale time and being awake remembering what actually happened. When I finally fall into a dreamless sleep, it's already night time.

I wake up and take a shower, and go downstairs as soon as I finish. I see Gale, sitting upright and I practically sprint to him to help him eat his soup. My mother tells me to watch him, because she has to get more bandages. When she leaves I sit there, feeding Gale his soup, and not saying anything. When he finishes I get up and put his bowl in the sink.

"C'mon Gale, let's get you to lie down." He agrees and doesn't struggle as I lay him on his stomach. When he is finally on his stomach, he grips my hand. He opens his mouth as he is about to say something, but then he closes his eyes and falls asleep before he could say anything. My mother comes back and changes his bandages. I catch a glimpse of the wound. It looks a little better, but not that much.

I help my mother all day and I don't eat anything in the fear that I might throw it up. Haymitch comes with news that the talent filming has been pushed back another month, so my face can heal in time. I nod a silent thank you and he leaves, tripping slightly.

I fall asleep on the couch, and the same routine goes on for weeks. Me helping my mother and Prim, me helping Gale, Gale's wounds getting slightly better each day, until all he needs are hundreds of stiches.

During this time, I have been supplying Gale's family with food and money, even if they say no. When I come home one day, I see Gale actually walking and not passing out from all of the pain killers my mother gives him to stop the pain.

"Hey, you're up and moving!" I say as I cross the distance between us to help him.

"Yep, not passing out every hour." He says as an attempt to lighten the tension in the air. I help him sit down and he slowly lies down and puts his head in my lap. He asks me how I have been doing.

"How do you think I've been doing Gale? I see you every night in my dreams." I say, all of the emotions I've been holding in for the last few weeks finally spilling out of me. I make the awful choking sounds that mark the sound of my sobbing. Gale tries to sit up but I gently push him back down.

"I… Thought I didn't… Get their… In time… I thought you were… Dead." I say as more sobs rack through my body. Gale grips my hand and tries to comfort me and after a while I stop crying.

"Gale, you need to stop comforting me, you're the one that's injured, not me." I say. He shakes his head.

"Well, Katniss, if you're upset I'm gonna try to help, whether you like it or not. He turns his head up and I lean down and softly kiss him. His hand goes to the back of my head to pull me in and I pull back once I hear the door open. I turn my head an see my mother and Prim close the door and they walk over to us.

They leave Gale in my lap while they change his bandages. My mother deems him okay enough to go home tomorrow but if he shows any signs of a fever, he is to come back immediately. They take Gale up to the guest room, where he has been sleeping for the past couple weeks. I'm about to leave when he asks me to stay in here with him.

He has stayed with me for so many nights that I would have to say yes, and anyways, sometimes when I sleep with Gale, the dreams go away so I sleep with him that night. We kiss a little and then we sleep until it's time for him to go home. I walk him home and tell Hazelle everything my mother told me and she agrees. I give her a hug and she thanks me and I give her some money she pushes it back to me and something slips out of my mouth before I even think about saying it.

"Hazelle, someday you're going to be my mother-in-law, you might as well get used to having money." The moment I say this, I blush a deep red and I scurry out of the street and walk back home.

I can't believe I said that! It's probably true though, I mean I love Gale and he loves me, but, ugh! I just can't believe I said that. I lecture myself mentally and when I get home, I eat and go directly to sleep.

**Gale POV**

My back still hurts, but not quite as bad. I lay in bed all day even though I want to get up and move around, my mother won't let me. I fall asleep when Posy, Rory, Vick, and my mom go to bed. The next day, I'm up at the crack of dawn, and I feel like I'm going stir crazy. I wait till my mother wakes up and tell her that I'm going to go to get some medicine. She believes me though I think she knows that I'm going to see Katniss.

I slowly get to the victors village and when I do the door opens before I even get to it. Katniss steps out and says something to her mother and she closes the door. She looks out and sees me and smiles.

"Gale, I was just coming to check on you. How do you feel?" She asks grabbing my hand.

"Fine, though I could use a kiss," I say laughing as she stands on her tiptoes and gives me a kiss. Though this kiss is not just a simple peck on the lips, there's something different about it. Like she's making up for lost time. Her tongue traces my lower lip, as if asking for entry. I mentally laugh and our tongues dance until she pulls away, her face flushed.

"What was that for?" I ask her curiously.

"Making up for lost time," She says. She invites me inside though I ask her to come over and play with Posy, because she really wants to play with Katniss. She agrees but she looks kind of awkward around my mother when she gets there. It disappears almost immediately and she plays with Posy until Rory and Vick come home. She hugs them and then she says she needs to get home. I walk her outside and she hugs me.

"I can't come over tomorrow because they are doing that Talent thing. Apparently they want to get here early now, so don't be surprised when I don't come here tomorrow." She kisses me and starts to walk home.

I stare at her until she is out of sight and when I walk inside Rory and Vick are laughing about me kissing Katniss. My mother just stands their smiling, though I can tell she's happy for me. I smile at her and she gives me a hug. She says that tomorrow they will be announcing the quarter quell, and that we are going over the Katniss's house. I nod and then she hands out dinner for our family.

**Katniss POV**

I get up to Cinna and my makeup crew screaming in shock about how I let my hair grow out. I laugh and give them all hugs especially Cinna, who after I get plucked and I am down to beauty base zero, shows me the clothes that "I" made.

"Wow, I am an amazing designer." I say to Cinna who just laughs. The clothes he made are absolutely amazing. I actually wish I designed these so I could wear them. Cinna gives me cards to read off of, and he gives me a simple dress to wear. He also tells me that he will be watching the announcement of the Quarter Quell tonight.

"That is tonight…" I say. I really don't want to watch it. I don't want to see what monstrosity I will have to deal with this year. Since it's the Quarter Quell, they will be doing something "special" this year.

When the camera crew gets here, I just read off my cards and they say they will input my voice in later. Now we just wait for the announcement of the Quarter Quell. Thirty minutes before it is scheduled to start, Gale and his family show up. We serve dinner to everyone and then we wait.

The anthem plays and they show President Snow talking about the other Quells. Finally a little boy in a white suit walks up with a box full of yellowed slips of paper. They must have been planning a lot of Quarter Quells. He opens the envelope and he clears his voice and reads off the paper.

"As a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors," He says. My mother screams and I see Hazelle tear up. Gale's mouth just drops open and he drops the bowl of soup on the floor.

At first I don't understand what he means, but then I do. Existing pool or Victors. Haymitch and… And me. I'm going back into the Arena. I get up from the couch and sprint out of the house. I don't know where I plan to go, but I end up at my old house. I go into my old bedroom and curl up and scream. I don't know when he gets there, but I hear Gale's voice trying to calm me down.

"Katniss please stop screaming, please, please stop." He says. I don't stop for a while an when I finally do, tears and sobs escape from me. I feel Gales arm wrap around my torso, I feel something wet hit my hair and I look up to see Gale crying.

I wrap my arms around him and just sit there and cry. He doesn't say anything but I feel him shake a little. He pulls me back and looks me dead in the eyes.

"Katniss, you can win. You can, you won once, and you can do it again."

"I can't Gale, they are experienced killers." I say.

"So are you, you've done it before."

"Gale…" I say but he shushes me with a kiss. This kiss is deep and demanding, rushed and full of power and authority. When he pulls back he opens his mouth to speak.

"Do it for me, do it for Prim. Win for your family." He says to me.

"I will, I will win for my family and for you Gale, maybe if I win…" I go off. "C'mon Gale, let's go home." I kiss him and he grabs my hand and we head back to my home, to face my family and his.

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><p><strong>Okay thanks for reading<strong>,** I just want to let you know, that that the next chapter, is the end of Catching Fire and then it ties into Mockingjay! Thanks for reading! **


	7. Chapter 7: District Thirteen

_**Thanks guys for reading my story! A thousand people have read this story and I would like to thank everyone who read this, liked it, an added it to an alert subscription and all of that stuff. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this new chapter.**_

_**Also, this chapter takes on the end of Catching Fire and it ties in with Mockingjay. I know this story is long, because it's a tie in of Catching Fire and Mockingjay, but I thank you so much for reading it! Thank you!**_

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><p><strong>Katniss POV<strong>

My eyes open and I am greeted by a bright light. I think I'm dead, but if I was, why would I feel so much pain? Everywhere, and then I remember everything from the Quarter Quell. I'm not dead, but how can this be? I'm supposed to be dead. I turn my head and I see Beetee and seeing him brings back the memories of Cinna and Darius. Dead because of me.

I stand out of the bed and my legs feel like jelly but I still manage to stand. I see tubes in my arm and I pull them out, now realizing I am in the custody of the capitol. They are probably going to torture us for making a mess out of their games.

I grab a syringe that is near my bed and I slip it up the arm of my thin night gown. I walk out the door, thinking maybe I should end Beetee's life, but I'll do that once I figure out where I am. I see another door that's slightly see-through and I see someone I recognize inside. Haymitch.

I slam open the doors and all of the heads in the room turn towards me. I see Haymitch, Plurtach, Finnick, and someone else I can't place.

"Well sweetheart, you're awake now aren't you?" Says Haymitch. He looks at the syringe that is now in my hand and he laughs.

"So it's you and a syringe against the capitol huh? Drop it." I don't and he tells me to drop it again and I do. He makes me sit down next to Finnick, who looks even more ragged then I do. I hear Haymitch clear his throat and he explains to me what happened.

"There was a plan to break everyone out of the arena from the moment the Quarter Quell was announced. The Victor Tributes from three, four, six, seven, eight, and eleven had varying degrees of knowledge about it. Plutarch Heavensbee has been, for several years, part of an undercover group aiming to overthrow the Capitol. He made sure the wire was among the weapons. Beetee was in charge of blowing a hole in the force field. The bread we received in the arena was code for the time of the rescue. The district where the bread originated indicated the day. Three. The number of rolls an hour. Twenty-four.

The hovercraft we are in belongs to District 13. We are currently on a very roundabout journey to District 13. Meanwhile, most of the districts in Panem are in a full-scale rebellion. Haymitch stops to see if I am following, or maybe he is done for the moment.

It's a huge amount to take in, but I should have known something weird was happening. I had a feeling I was being played with. I ask Haymitch about District Twelve and what happened to all of the people there, like my mother, Gale, and Prim.

"Well, immediately after the games finished, the bombed Twelve, killing almost everyone except for about nine hundred people. They are all currently at District Thirteen." He says.

"What about my family and Gale's?" I ask. I see Haymitch's eyes sadden and I know something horrible has happened.

"Gale's family is fine, they all made it out, your mother did too, but the Capitol… Captured Prim." I know this isn't Haymitch's fault, because he was in the arena with me, but for some reason, my initial thought is that this is his fault.

Even though I don't have a weapon on me, no one should underestimate the strength a girl has in her finger nails. I rip my nails down his face, causing his face to bleed. I shout obscenities at him and I start to shout, scream, kick, thrash, and cry all at the same time. Haymitch is screaming at me and they have no choice but to sedate me and I fall into a deep blackness.

I don't know how many dreams plague me about Prim. I don't know how many times I have to watch her die and get tortured in my sleep. I see her eaten by mutts. Slowly just like Cato. I see her get slowly tortured and killed by Clove, just like she did to others in the games.

When I wake to consciousness I am in another place. I think it's a hospital, because that would explain all of the beds and IV's everywhere. I sit up slowly pulling out the tubes in my arm, only then to fall back onto the bed with immediate exhaustion. I feel tears running down my cheeks, and when I wipe them I see the door open and a man in a white coat walk inside.

"Hello Katniss, you're awake, good. How do you feel?" He asks. He looks at my IV and checks a machine and mutters something.

"Who are you? Where… Where am I?"I ask. I start to get up but the doctor gently pushes me down. I shove his arm back and ask again. "Where am I?" I say more fiercly.

"My name is Doctor Jaden, and you are in the hospital in District Thirteen. How do you feel?" He says to me. District Thirteen? Haymitch wasn't lying; there was really a District Thirteen. Though when I am thinking about this, there is only on question nagging at me.

"Is… Is Prim alive?" I see the Doctors looking around at each other and I know the worst is about to come my way. I start to hear the chocking sounds that mark my sobbing and I feel a scream building up in my throat.

"You can tell her, she can take it." I hear one of the doctors say. I see it is a tall, muscularly built, blue eyed man, who imidiately reminds me of Peeta and I look away.

"Primrose, isn't dead. She is alive and well, from what we last saw of her." Says Dr. Jaden. He must see the confusion on my face because he explains to me what he means.

They have been having Prim, on live television trying to defuse the situation, talking to me, if I was watching, to get me to stop the rebellion, and since people adore my sister Prim, and also because she has good talking skills, she has caused District One and Two, to stay true to the capitol.

He also tells me that they have kidnapped someone else. I immidately expect the person to be my mother, but they tell me someone else. Someone who I didn't know had this much of an effect on me. Madge Undersee. They tell me that they killed her mother and father and took her into custody.

I still think of Prim though, and even though I am sad about Madge, my mind jumps to Prim and how I couldn't save her. The doctors say the need to take a blood test to check on my vitals but I don't let them. I am afraid that somehow they will be putting a tracker into me or they will be sedating me and by doing that, they put me back into the endless dreams of despair and pain. So I fight back.

My fist hits several people before I feel my arms get pulled back behind me. I struggle to try and break loose but nothing works. I feel a sharp pain in my left arm, right near wear Jhoanna stabbed me in the arm. That reminds me that they told me the capitol got her too. I feel my knees go weak and my mind goes fuzzy and I crash to the floor. The last thing I hear is the familiar voice of someone I know.

**Gale POV**

I come into the clear hospital doors just in time to see Katniss throw her fist at someone and I see two doctors get hit. I run to the doors I push it open but it's locked. I see them pin her arms around her back and I ban on the glass screaming at them too open the door. I see her fall to the floor and the doctors lift her up and strap her to the bed securing everything.

I pound on the door and they suddenly open, as if someone opened them with a controller. I fly in and I grab one of the doctors and shove him against the wall.

"What are you doing to her?" I growl at him.

"We had to sedate her, she was violent." He says pushing me away. He slips out under my arms and I see too nurses come and pull me back out the doors.

"If you hurt her, you're dead!" I shout at all of the doctors. They seem to ignore what I say and then I am pulled through the doors and sat down at the waiting benches. One of the nurses go away and the other one sits next to me.

"As soon as people are allowed to visit her, I will let you in." I nod my thanks and she leaves when her name is called over the loud speaker. I sit there and I see Katniss's mother come in. She gives me a hug and bursts out crying. I try to comfort her but it feels weird since I don't really know Katniss's mother that well. I mean sure, I know her, but we don't usually talk.

When the doctors come out, they let Katniss's mother visit her. I tell her I will wait until she is done and go in later. I sit back in the chair, not being able to bend over from all of the burns I have received. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, my shoulder is being shaken. My eyes shoot open, and I immediately tense, thinking that I am about to get attacked. It's the nurse from, yesterday. Or last night, I don't really know what time it is.

"You can visit her now, her mother just got out." I nod and stand up walking into the room and finally getting a full look at Katniss. Her head is wrapped in a bandage, and so are her arms. She is covered in scratches and bruises, though even through the damage on her face, she still looks beautiful.

She is asleep still, or if not asleep, still heavily sedated enough to not notice my presence and I'm glad, because as soon as I pull up a chair and sit next to her, I take her lifeless hand in mine, and begin to cry.

"I'm so, so sorry I didn't get her… I tried and I tried as hard as I could… I didn't save her, and… I'm sorry…" I just sob into her hand, cupping them between mine, knowing that my apology will mean nothing. I didn't save Prim in time. I look up at her face, her lifeless face, and see the girl I met in the woods years ago. Her face looks happy almost, not covered in fear.

Seeing her makes me hate the Capitol even more. Though this hate, as strong as it is, is overtaken by me seeing her like this, knowing that she is surrounded my nightmares, and knowing that Prim isn't safe. I keep crying with my head on the sheet, I don't notice my hand being squeezed until I feel a sharp pain.

I look up to see Katniss's knuckles white and all of a sudden her eyes flash open. She looks around and looks right at me. Not registering I'm there, until she stares, like she's trying to make sure I'm real. I open my mouth, but I'm not sure exactly what to say. The only noise that comes out sounds like the sound of a dying animal. I finally whisper the words "I'm sorry I didn't get her out in time", I think she is about to turn over, like she can't stand to look at me, before I feel her stretch over an wrap her arms around me and start crying.

It isn't like her crying before. This is a sound I can't bear to hear, or ever think of again. It's the sound of pain from what has happened, the sound of fear, the sound of sorrow, and worst of all, the sound of all hope being lost. I cry on her shoulder too, though I know that I have no right to cry. I almost want to leave the room, because the crying sounds of pain and the screams I hear from her are too much to bear, but I know I can't leave her now, and I don't want to leave. I never want to risk having her leave me again.

**Katniss POV**

I know what happened to Prim wasn't Gale's fault, and I don't blame him, because right now, I honestly don't know what to think. I'm in his arms, stuck between crying and screaming. I can feel him shaking and that's how I know he is crying. I even here noises from him, but right now I'm too caught up in my own pain to register anything.

I know Prim is alive, I remember the doctors saying that, but in my dreams, all they were about was seeing her dead. Seeing her surrounded in blood, cold and empty looking. The light that was in her beautiful blue eyes is drained. That's all I see of Prim. I try to dig up any old memories of her, but all I see is that image. I can't bear it, and I know that even if I sleep, the image will stay there. It's like it has been permanently been branded into my brain.

I eventually pull back from Gale's embrace, only to immediately go back in, because then I see pain in his eyes. Like he thinks it's his fault. It's not, but right now I don't have the strength to tell him. I don't have the strength to do anything but cry.

I have my eyes shut so tight that all I feel is pain in my eyes, but I don't see the horrible picture of… Prim, so I keep them shut tight. I finally feel my arms pulled off of Gale and I open one of my eyes. I see him sitting their and I hear a door faintly close.

"Hey Catnip, the doctors say I have to go."

"Please stay…" I say, well more like whisper. I barely have a voice and what I hear is ragged and, practically dead.

"I can't but I'll be back tomorrow, trust me Catnip, I won't let you leave my sight." He looks like he wants to say more but a flash of pain crosses his face. He stands and kisses my forehead and walks out of the room, stopping before the door to take on last look at me.

When he leaves, my first thought is to cry and scream because of all that has happened, but I know if I do that, that they will sedate me again, leaving me alone for hours or even days with that picture of Prim, so instead, while the doctors come in and check over me, I stare blankly at the wall, trying to sort everything out.


	8. Chapter 8: I will be the MockingJay

**Katniss POV**

It's several more weeks in the hospital before I am finally released. Though I have been released I am still thought as mentally unstable, and hey, maybe I am. I never get any sleep, because all I see is prim, and I stopped eating days ago because everything just comes right back up. My mother tries to comfort me, and for the first time, I let her. She came in everyday and would give me updates, because the doctors said it was bad for me to watch, with the state I was in.

I haven't been seeing much of Gale, because he's always in the weapon room with Beetee, because as soon as he could sit upright, they wheeled him off, and with that they left me with Finnick, who honestly I can't look at his miserable, sad, and dead features because he reminds me too much of myself.

They have the girl he loves, Annie Cresta, at the Capitol; though I am sure they can't do anything to her because she's so far gone anyways. Yet, I am kind of glad I haven't been seeing Gale because every time I see him or think of him, I see him crying and blaming himself for everything.

My mother walks me out of the hospital to our room. It has two beds, two dressers, a bathroom, a desk, and plain white walls. Everything here in District Thirteen is so bland and blank, and I hate it. I reminds me too much of face of the dead bodies during the games.

The room just feels lifeless and dull. My mother kisses my forehead, telling me that she needs to go back to the hospital to work. I know how hard it is for her now, watching Prim being captive. I know she is trying her hardest not to go into her lifeless state again and I am really thankfully because I need someone to comfort me.

Sitting on the long grey bed, I try to clear my mind and practice what the doctors told me to do. _My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. I won the Hunger Games. I should be dead. They have my sister captive. I am going to kill president snow…_

I don't really know what I do in the room. Just sit on the bed, miserable and thinking of ways I could try to get Prim home, but nothing comes to mind. I would try to run out of District Thirteen and get her myself, but what good will that do?

I don't hear the door open but I only notice that someone has entered when I feel the bed beside me sink in from weight. I look up and see Haymitch. His face has healed, and maybe he's ready to face me now.

"What do you want?" I say harshly.

"Just checking on you, and coming to explain some things." He tells me. I stand up from the bed, not really wanting to speak to Haymitch, but I owe it to him so I glare at him.

"What do you want to explain?"

"Well, I just want to explain what we're doing here. This rebellion has been planned for a long, long time, but they just needed someone to get it in motion. To officially start it, so to speak. They needed a Mockingjay." He says to me.

"And I'm assuming that you want it to be me?" I say stating the obvious. He nods and gives me a look, like he's expecting an answer.

"Why? Why should I be the Mockingjay? They couldn't even save Prim! And if I do become the Mockingjay they will kill her! I've seen enough people die and I just can't handle…. That."

"Katniss, that's what you don't understand! If you become the Mockingjay, they can't kill her, because they will use her as bait! To try to keep you down!" He says standing up.

"I don't know Haymitch. I mean, the president of Thirteen probably wants to kill me, because if she wanted me as the Mockingjay and she knows how unresponsive I am being."

"Well, maybe this will change your mind." Haymitch grabs my wrist and starts dragging me out of the room into the hall.

"Haymitch, let go!" I scream. He shushes me and takes me to this room that he calls the 'Command Center'. I'm about to pound my fist into his head before I see Finnick, Plutarch and another man who introduces himself as Boggs. I see President Coin, the president of thirteen; I've met her only once before, but when I did I never liked her. I also see Gale there staring at me smiling and looking as he wants to jump into my arms.

"Haymitch, let me go!"

"No, you need to see something!" He says to me. I tug my arm out of his grasp and that's when I see it. I see Prim sitting on a familiar red chair, sitting next to Ceaser Flickerman. I gasp an I push everyone out of the way to get as close to her as I can. I turn up the volume and listen as much as I can.

"Thank you Primrose, for being here with us tonight! How are you?" He asks smiling his brilliant smile.

"I'm great, thank you Ceaser, how about you?" She says she is fine and they go on to talking about the rebellion.

"So, Primrose, there has been no word of your sister, but the Rebellion is becoming stronger, what do you think of this?" She gulps and looks down at her hands and then straight into the camera. It's like she's looking into my eyes.

"Katniss, if you're watching this, the rebellion needs to stop. Do you know how many people you are hurting? What if you lose? Do you know how many people will suffer? You need to stop the rebellion. We almost killed ourselves off once, and we don't want to do it again." She says, an immidately I can see in her eyes that she is being forced to say this.

Ceaser nods in agreement and then the show ends with him waving. I slowly stare at the T.V. waiting to see her again. She doesn't come on but relief floods through me immediately! She's not dead! She's not dead! I'm smiling so much that my cheeks start to hurt. But then I frown and start to tear as I realize that she's in the custody of the capitol. I turn slowly to see Haymitch staring at me.

"We can save her, you know. If you became the mockingjay, we could save hundreds of people if you became the mockingjay." I know I would do anything to save Prim, but what if I fail?

Unable to decide I run out of the room and down the hall until I come to a small supply closet. I open it and crawl inside just sitting there.

I hear the door of the closet open, and I expect it to be Haymitch or someone but it's Gale. He doesn't say anything but he slips in, and for the first time in a while, wraps his arms around me. He kisses my forehead, and only now do I realize how much I have missed his touch. It's almost a craving that I feel.

"Gale, I want to help, but I don't want people to die, and I don't want Prim to die. I want her to survive and If I become the mockingjay and she doesn't that will be all on me." I say to him.

"Katniss, if you become the Mockingjay, you can have them do almost anything for you. If you asked for the sun, they'd find a way to give it to you."

"So, you're saying that I should become the Mockingjay, and demand them to save Prim?" I ask, all of a sudden, I can see a plan forming in my mind.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying Katniss, you can get them to anything." I smile and thank him for giving me the idea, and I lean in for a kiss.

This isn't a kiss we've shared before. It's full of sadness, pleasure, and making up for lost time. I melt into his arms and he melts into mine. Our tongues dance and when we both pull back we are gasping.

"I'm going to go talk to them." I say. He gets up with me and we walk back to the command center. When I walk in, everyone looks at me and I sit down.

"Listen up, I'll be you're Mockingjay," I let them make their sounds of relief and congratulations but then at the first lap of silence, I cut in.

"On these conditions. We save Prim, and she allowed to stay alive. If you even have a thought of killing her when we get her back, I will kill you all." People including Coin nod in agreement, and then I move on the next part of my conditions.

"All of the others, such as Madge, Johanna, an Annie, will not be killed." I see Finnick's face light up and I'm glad I remembered at the last minute.

"Fine, anything else Miss Everdeen?" Coin asks.

"Gale, I want him by my side," I say, I see Gale slightly smile at my side. "And I. Kill. Snow." I see coin smile slightly at this and she agrees. "I also want you to swear to this in front of Thirteen so you don't back out." Coin nods and tells me that she will assemble a meeting.

When she announces it, we all go the dinner room and assemble. She announces all that I asked but then adds something I don't expect at the end.

"And if Miss Everdeen doesn't perform what we ask, all of the current decisions will be terminated. Thank you and go back to you're Duty's." So in other words, she means that if I screw up, we're all dead.


	9. Chapter 9: District Two

**Katniss POV**

Becoming the Mockingjay is both good and bad. The good is that we already have a plan to save Prim, and that plan is to break into the capitol undercover, and take Prim. It's obviously more complicated than that but, I have been too busy thinking about the fact that we are going to be able to save Prim.

The bad part is, I have to do some other things before we save her and everybody else. I have to start an uprising in District Two, and by doing that, the Capitol will be focusing their attention on Two, but I don't understand why we just can't save Prim.

When I get up this morning, my mother is gone and I am alone. Something that I hate to be. I get up and take a short shower, and then walking over to put my arm in an indent in the wall. It prints out my schedule in bright purple ink. I look at the first line and it says "Command Center 8:00am". I think I know why I'm going.

I eat alone in the big cafeteria and when I finish I head towards the command center. While walking on my way there, I run into Gale who wraps me in a warm embrace.

"Are you heading to the command center?" I ask him, he nods and I tell him that I am heading that way as well. He pulls me in for a quick kiss and we walk hand in hand towards the command center. I am almost a hundred percent sure that he knows what they are going to announce, and I am also sure that I know what they will be announcing today.

**Gale POV**

When we arrive at the command center, we both sit at the empty spots next to Haymitch, who I have to say looks horrible. I guess it's the cutback on alcohol. Well, not really a cut back, they just made him go cold turkey. His skin is white as a sheet, and he has a sheen of sweat on his upper lip, and he's shaking like a fiend.

I see Plurtarch Heavensbee standing over a hologram and then as he swipes it on to a large screen he clears his throat.

"As you all can see, this is the Map of District Two, where Katniss, and her crew, will be heading there tomorrow. We will be trying to get out any of our undercover rebels and anyone else who wishes to switch to our side. Anyone who doesn't, well, we will bomb them."

I almost want to shout and scream at this, but I know that some people will have to die, in order to overthrow the Capitol and get Prim back. I can tell Katniss is thinking the same thing, how do I know? Well I've known her for so long now.

"Are you okay with this Katniss?" I see Katniss nod and then Plurtarch goes on about the plan, though I am just blanking out, thinking of how Katniss will take this. I know she will hate it, but I know that she is doing all she can to get Prim back.

When Plurtarch finishes stating the plan, he dismisses us to go back to our original schedules, but I don't. I follow Katniss to her room, because I haven't been getting to spend much time with her. Her room reminds me much of mine, well that's because it's the exact same. Same white walls, same white beds, everything is just white. Even back home in District Twelve, we had more color than this.

Thinking of District Twelve brings back a pang of guilt and hurt in my heart. There are so many people who didn't make it and I feel like it's my fault, though I know that I couldn't have gotten them all out.

Katniss sits on the bed and beckons me over. I sit next to her and she curls into my side. She leans her head on my shoulder and says "I wish people didn't have to die."

"I know, but would you rather have some people die, than watching people fight to death?" I say. I feel her tense up and pull away from me, and I realize what I said and how it sounded.

"I'm sorry Katniss, I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry." She moves back and lies on my shoulder again.

"I know, it's just that when all of these people die, I think it's my fault. Because I'm the Mockingjay." She says to me. I grab her face softly and make her look me in the eye.

"Catnip Everdeen," She smiles at her old nickname. "These people dying are not your fault, okay?" She nods and she kisses my lips.

**Katniss POV**

That night, my mom doesn't come back from the hospital. Everyone tells me that she is helping with a compilicated surgery, which makes sense since she is a doctor here now. But, I'm not afraid of being alone, because Gale stays with me tonight, and it makes me realize how much I have missed sleeping with him in the same room.

I don't have nightmares, which surprises me greatly, and when I wake, I actually feel refreshed. I am woken by my prep team, which now includes Effie Trinket, and that's when I remember that they made it out alive. Thinking about them leads me to think about Cinna, which causes a fierce pain in my heart and I try to put my mind on other things.

Before they drag me out to put me in my Mockingjay outfit, I manage to give Gale a quick peck on the lips, and I can tell that he wants to make sure I'm okay, and I am, because for the first time in a long time, I actually feel slightly happy again.

They pluck me, and they slather me in oils. They make me look clean, and then they make it look like I was recently in a battle, which I guess is what they are going for. When I am officially deemed a "battle beauty", they release me to go the launch room where I am supposed to meet Beetee.

When I meet Beetee, he gives me a new bow and arowws. They are a sleek black, and light, and well, they are beautiful. I thank Beetee, and I ask him about Finnick.

"He's doing better; he's just waiting for them to rescue Annie." He says. I thank Beetee again and I board the hovercraft. I end up sitting next to Gale who whispers in my ear "I think you look beautiful either way, they should leave you looking like you." Which makes me blush insanely, but you can't really see because of all of the makeup.

One the Hovercraft, Plurtarch explains the plans again. I will be sent into the tunnels, to try to convince people to come on our side, then I will be going to the hospital to help with the patients, and then I have to go to another tunnel where I convince more people, and then I will come home. Of course I will have bodyguards on me twenty four seven, and I will be wearing a headpiece which Haymitch will be speaking to me through.

We ride in silence until we get to District Two, and when I see it, it kind of reminds me of twelve, except it is a much better looking version of twelve. The houses are small, but very clean looking, the roads are dark brown with hard-packed dirt, and there is a huge mountain, well actually mountains, surrounding the ginormous district. I think I see a coal mining spot, but I think that's just my mind playing tricks on me.

My crew and I, along with the Camera Crew, get dropped off near the entrance of a tunnel. I am surprised at how cold it actually is here in Two, but I get right down to business and I head into the entrance with my crews tailing me.

When I walk in, I am greeted by hundreds of people, maybe even thousands, though I can't tell because the whole large tunnel is crawling with people. I soon hear my name 'Katniss! Katniss!' Being chanted through the crowd. People are running up to me and touching my arms and my legs and some people run to me and give me hugs. Until now, I didn't realize how much people depended on me.

I spend an hour talking to as much people as I can and realize that all of these people in the tunnel are rebels. If there are this many people rebelling, there must be much, much more people in two doing the same!

I make a speech, telling all of the people to rebel, because the capitol is not treating us right, and I guess whatever I say works, because the time I leave to the hospital, everyone is rallied up, and when I get to the hospital, it's the same way. By the time I am leaving the hospital, I have a feeling something is wrong. That's when I hear a buzzing in my ear.

"Katniss, we have an alert of a bomber plane approaching, I need you to run to the next tunnel and I don't want you to stop until you get their okay?" I tell him okay and I start running and everyone starts to follow me.

We are halfway to the tunnel before I am flung to the ground by the shaking Earth. When I hit the ground I feel a sharp pain in my leg and my back. I turn over just in time to see a giant cloud of smoke right above where the hospital is.

"The Hospital!" I shout at Gale. He looks and see's it and I see a look of pain cross his face. He stands up and I see his arm bent and bleeding.

"Are you okay?" He nods and he yanks me up and we start running again, only to be knocked down again several times because of more bombs. When we finally get to the last tunnel, there are peacekeepers everywhere and I know that I need to leave, but my legs, back, and arms are in excruciating pain. Thought we are surrounded by peacekeepers none of them make moves to get me, and it takes me a second to realize that all of them are injured.

Festering skin, and broken bones. I see them everywhere, I also see dead bodies, and now I know that this is my time. I stand up on a crate and I shout in my loudest voice 'Attention'.

"I am Katniss Everdeen! You're home town, has been destroyed. You're families and friends, and possible children have been killed! You know who killed them, the Capitol! More and more people are dying every day because of what they do! Do you want to known as the people who killed thousands of other families?" I shout. Most of them I know are on our side, and I see the one's that weren't drop their guns. I see one man who stands out holding his gun.

"Well, this wasn't happening until the rebels showed up!" He shouts at me.

"This would have happened even without the rebels. The capitol has been taking your children and killing them for entertainment. If we burn, they will burn with us!" I scream at him. I expect him to take our side and drop the gun, but instead, I see him shoot me.

**Gale POV**

I have been in the hospital for a week, and they are finally releasing my today. They had to dig bomb fragments out of my back, arm, and legs. I know they did the same to Katniss, because that's what the doctors told me. They also told me that the man who shot the bullet missed her organs, because the armor on her suit made the bullet shoot back and on the floor.

When I am released I go to the command center, because that is where I am directed to go to, and when I get there, I see Katniss in a wheelchair. I try to go to her but I see the seat next to her is taken. I sit across from Haymitch and I see President Coin stand.

"District Two, thanks to Katniss, has rebelled. Every district has now rebelled and with the attention of the Capitol now turned on Two, we can go with our plan to break out Primrose Everdeen, Johanna Mason, and Annie Cresta." I see Finnick smile widely and I see Katniss smiling too. The President clears her throat.

"We will be continuing out this plan, once our Mockingjay and her crew have been recovered, and then after we do this mission, our next plan is to kill President Snow." I look over and see Katniss's face darken and I know that she wants to kill him. After showing propos that they made with the footage, we are released and I go to Katniss, who is estacic that she will be getting Prim back, but she tells me she has to go back to the hospital. She gives me a small kiss and she heads back.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: Sorry this chapter was kind of undetailed and short, I had to make it on short Notice; the next one though, will be very good! I swear to you! Thanks for reading!<strong>

**-HungerGames121**


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